Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a conveyor.
More specifically, the invention relates to more flexible and less expensive conveyor systems and to a method of their manufacture.
Description of Related Art
In the art, conveyor systems are widely used. Mostly a conveyor comprises some basic components: a support frame, a chain or belt track, a belt or chain, a drive system end and a belt or chain return end.
In the art the conveyor track is manufactured of metal parts e.g. extruded aluminium elements, which are bolted or welded together. This provides a sturdy, yet rather heavy and inflexible conveyor system. For less demanding applications and higher flexibility, e.g. when product pathways are changed frequently, conveyors of the art are less suitable. Furthermore, they are more cumbersome to disassemble and reassemble. Accordingly it is an object of the invention to mitigate or solve the above described and/or other problems of belt and chain link conveyors in the art, while maintaining and/or improving the advantages thereof.
More specifically the object of the invention can be seen in improving the flexibility of belt and chain link conveyors while reducing the cost of manufacture of the same.